Fluker's Cricket Preducts?

[iain5]

I couldn't find too much using the search feature, so I'm starting a thread on this. My problem is specifically this - I got a new shipment of mantids a couple of days ago which included 3 subadult giant sheilds. The breeder said that they were fine eating crickets while I got some bluebottle cultures going and I keep crickets for my tarantula anyway, so I get each one a large cricket as soon as I got them set up in their new homes. One of them even ate a few bluebottles later from the pupae that had hatched on the way. The problem is that the next day one of them threw up and the others don't seem interested in food anymore. I know they might still be full (their abdomens are still pretty big and they have been pooping) but I know the regurgitation was not normal. I have been feeding the crickets on Fluker's orange cubes, which is supposed to be water and food all in one and I thought would be fine. Does anyone know if that was the problem?

I will not be feeding any of them crickets again until I have gotten them steadily eating bluebottles and I know the cricket food situation is safe.

One more thing - the crickets were from a pet store, but I had been feeding them for about a week before I gave them to the mantises. Does anyone know a quality cricket supplier that ships to the midwest so I know I'm using good stuff?

 

[hibiscusmile]

Hi Lain, mine have never thrownup. The place I get my crickets is www.Grubco.com . They mainly eat crickets, and usually do not eat the flies because they really need a lot of them to fill them up. They get them as a treat. They will also eat superworms and mealworms or moths, but as u said if they are having a reaction from the crickets, then is best not to give to them, also if they have stopped eating, and you try each day, then the are ready to molt again and you should then just watch them and leave them be.

 

[mrblue]

i agree. while the regurgitation is not normal, i don't think it is completely fatal either. they could have stopped eating as they are close to a moult. i would suggest taking out any food you have in their containers, and just keeping them warm for a few days, occasional spraying maybe, just leaving them be without introducing food. then try again after a few days and see what happens. if they still don't eat then then i guess it is a bigger problem.

 

[iain5]

Thanks guys. I'm really not too worried at this point. I cleaned their cups out and each continues to be lively and attentive to their surroundings, including the one that threw up. They're all still pooping a lot so I know that their digestive systems are still working and clearing out whatever upset them. The male also ate a bluebottle last night, although the two females still were not interested. I think I'll give them another day or so and see if they're interested in food again and if not I'll keep misting and see if they shed.

As far as the crickets go, I'm going to change their diet. I put in a water dish with foam that I'm keeping clean and I'm going to start feeding fruits, veggies, and potatos and let the artificial stuff work out of their systems. I'll let you know what happens since this might be useful to other people who have had trouble with crickets.

 

[Krissim Klaw]

While throwing up isn't something you want, I have seen it happen with mantises who have gone on to live long healthy lives with no problems. Sometimes I think they might eat to much since I've on several occasions seen mantises gut load themselves with fresh water than spit a bit back up immediatly after like oopsy.

As for the cause of the throw up, I would lean more to the side of the crickets being bad than the food. I raise up and keep my feeder crickets on Flucker's and they do great, though I give them the calcium/cricket feed that is like a dry brown powder. I have however heard a few members mentioning using the orange cubes and getting great results with their crickets. Personally I like to give fresh water to all my animals though so even if I tried the cubes I would be providing water. My preferred method is in a shallow plastic container with soaked cotton balls. Cotton balls prevent drowning and are easy to clean since you can just dump them as they get dirty and put fresh ones in.

One important thing to remember if you are switching to a more fresh food diet is crickets need protein and are not vegetarians but omnivores. Mine love freeze dried blood worms as a treat.

 

[iain5]

UPDATE - Looks like everyone was right. Last night, the female shield that was sick molted and the night before the other female did the same. They both look fine and everything seems to be ok. The male still continues to eat like crazy, so I guess he's on a different schedule (which makes sense). I think now that the cricket problem was actually just that they were getting ready to molt and the one mantis ate a little too much and had to unload a little.

I did switch the crickets to regular water, but I think I'm going to keep using Fluker's (both orange cubes and calcium feed) since they have always worked in the past.

Thanks guys!